A charming 300-mile romp through farm, field and English history, with two crazy Canadians as our guides. John Cherrington and his seventy-four year old walking companion set out one fine morning in May to traverse the only English footpath that cuts south through the rural heart of the country, a formidable path called the Macmillan Way. Cherrington’s walking partner is Karl Yzerman, an irascible “bull of the woods”, a full twenty years his senior and the perfect foil to the wry and self-deprecating author. Their journey begins at Boston on the Wash and takes them through areas of outstanding beauty such as the Cotswolds, Somerset, and Dorset, all the way to Chesil Beach. Their ultimate destination is Cadbury Castle, a hillfort that many archeologists believe to be the likely location of King Arthur’s legendary centre of operations in the late 5th century when he—or some other prominent British warrior chieftain—made his last stand against the Saxons. Along the way the unlikely duo experiences many adventures, including a serious crime scene, a bull attack, several ghosts, a brothel, and the English themselves. On virtually every page of the book the historical merges with the magic of the footpath, with Cherrington making astute, often humorous observations on the social, cultural and culinary mores of the English, all from a very North American perspective.

John Cherrington was born and raised in Vancouver. During his studies at the University of British Columbia in the early 1970s, he won the Women's Canadian Club scholarship as the top student in Canadian history. His first book, Mission on the Fraser, was published in 1974. He remains an avid chronicler of his beloved Fraser Valley, and an active member of the movement to preserve the Valley's abundant natural beauty and numerous historical landmarks. Cherrington and his wife and three children live in Fort Langley, where he practises law and sits on the board of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation.

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